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St Mary Magdalen

Magdalen Laver

Essex

TL 513 083 MAGDALEN LAVER 5/22 Parish Church of St. 20.2.67 Mary Magdalen II* Parish church, nave late C11, chancel C13, both altered in C14

Architectural Features

C19, W belfry C15, S porch C19.

Walls of flint rubble including re-used material from a Roman building, dressings of tufa, limestone, clunch and Roman brick, roofed with handmade red clay tiles, belfry timber-framed and weatherboarded.

The E window of the chancel is C19, except the chamfered splays, 2-centred rear-arch, and label with 2 male headstops, C14.

The N window is C19 except the splays and rear-arch, C14.

Between the windows is a doorway, mainly C19, with splays and segmental-pointed rear-arch, early C14.

Diagonal buttresses, C15.

In the N wall there are 2 windows, the eastern of 2 lights, mainly C19, with square head and internal label, C14, the western window mainly C19 with splays

chamfered rear-arch, C15.

Below this window there are traces of a former doorway, and between the windows there is a small round- headed window, late C11, blocked.

In the S wall there are 2 windows, the eastern uniform with the eastern window in the N wall, the western mainly C19, with splays and hollow-chamfered rear-arch, C14.

Between them are traces of a former window of tufa, typically a material of the C11.

W of the window is the S doorway, with a moulding comprising two double ogees divided by a shallow cavetto, late C14.

The door has a marginal decoration of fleurons and a rear frame of portcullis type, late C14.

In the W wall there are 3 oculus windows (one partly collapsed) arranged irregularly and blocked on the inside, late C11.

The W doorway has jambs of Roman brick, chamfered imposts and segmental head within a round arch.

The door appears to be original, with 4 ledges and saltire braces butt-notched into the ledges in the same manner as in the chancel of Chipping Ongar Church , V-edged boards weathered on the outside (although now protected by the C15 belfry) and strap hinges with incised zigzag decoration, a remarkable survival.

The NE and SE quoins are of Roman brick arranged in the manner of Saxon long-and-short work, further evidence of Saxo-Norman construction.

A diagonal buttress was added at the SW in the C15.

The roof of the chancel is of 7 cants with double collars, formerly lathed and plastered, late C14.

The western tiebeam has a sunk panel with defaced inscription IT ANNO DON 1615 HL.

The roof of the nave is similar in construction, with 2 plain-chamfered tiebeams of which the western forms part of a former bell-turret with empty mortices for supporting posts, the structure almost complete up to roof level, late C14.

The W belfry is constructed in at least 3 phases, C15

C16, with curved saltire bracing in the second stage and a separate outer frame carrying the weatherboards.

There are 2 bells, the first dated 1567, the second inscribed in Lombardic letters IN HONORE SANCTE JOHANNES, probably C14.

Some C14

C15 glass remains, in situ in the NE window of the nave, mainly reset in the SW windows of the chancel and nave.

On the E wall of the chancel there is a marble tablet to George Kindleton, Rector, 1667, surmounted by cornice and segmental pediment containing a flaming vase, inscription in oval panel with laurel wreath and cherub's head

On the S wall of the nave there is a white marble monument to William Cole, 1729, with crest above five children, named.

Outside against the S wall of the nave, there is a tomb-chest to William Cole, 1716, with gadrooned slab, carved cherubs and bones on the front, mounted on 3 stone steps.